Ilkogretim Online - Elementary Education Online, Year; Vol 19 (Issue 4): pp. 2689-2696 
                                      http://ilkogretim-online.org                    
                                      doi: 10.17051/ilkonline.2020.04.764633 
                                       
                    MULTICULTURAL  EDUCATION  IN  STRENGTHENING  NATIONAL 
                    BEWARE OF RADICALISM THREATS IN INDONESIA 
                                                                                      
                    Zulaecha Ngiu, Department of PPKn, Faculty of Social Sciences, State University of Gorontalo Jalan Jenderal Sudirman 
                    No.6 Gorontalo, zulaecha@ung.ac.id 
                     
                                                                                      
                      
                      
                    Abstract- Multicultural education is a series of strategies to strengthen national integration aimed at addressing possible 
                    threats to national security, which reflects the socio-political reality of Indonesia due to the diverse ethnic and cultural 
                    backgrounds of the nation. Therefore, the government needs to breakthrough by implementing and strengthening its 
                    national awareness among Indonesian people through multicultural education. Because this diversity is an invaluable 
                    wealth and, at the same time, is a potential threat factor that could endanger Indonesia's national security. Efforts to 
                    expand and deepen people's understanding of diversity that exists in society and to uphold a sense of belonging and 
                    solidarity in every citizen. The implementation of multicultural education must be a joint effort between the government 
                    and civil society in the form of programs or guidelines as outlined in the formal, informal and non-formal education 
                    curriculum. 
                      
                    Keywords: Multicultural Education, PPKn, education, management, Indonesia 
                                                                           I.     INTRODUCTION 
                    Indonesia as one of the major countries in the world and a very large population with a variety of religions, 
                    ethnicities,  races,  languages,  social,  and  cultural  conditions  that  inhabit  the  territory  of  Indonesia  makes 
                    Indonesian people known as a multicultural society.  Pluralism  and  multiculturalism  suggest  differences. 
                    When managed properly and correctly, pluralism and multiculturalism produce positive strength for nation-
                    building. Otherwise. If not managed properly, pluralism and multiculturalism can lead to conflict and social 
                    violence.  
                    Multicultural education is a cross-border discourse because it is related to issues of social justice, democracy, 
                    and human rights (Tilaar, 2003). According to Crandal (2003), multicultural education is education that takes 
                    seriously the background of aspects of ethnic, ethnic, racial, religious, and cultural diversity. Therefore, in a 
                    nutshell, multicultural education is ed cation about cultural diversity.  International Political Journal Vol. 17 
                    No. May 1, 2015, aims to instil a tolerant attitude towards differences that exist. The reality of Indonesia as a 
                    plural and plural country needs culture-based education to avoid vertical conflicts, especially those related to 
                    ethnic and racial differences. Conflict is prone to occur when Indonesian people are unable to understand 
                    diversity so they cannot deal wisely with differences in the social environment. This is what shows that 
                    progress can backfire if the government does not immediately give more attention through multicultural 
                    education.   
                                                                             II.    METHODS 
                    The methodology uses literature study from several previous studies. 
                                                                           III.    DISCUSSION 
                    Multicultural education can also be perceived as a bridge to achieve the ideals of shared life as a nation that is 
                    now  faced  with  various  types  of  challenges  in  the  era  of  globalization  (Tilaar,  2003).  The  purpose  of 
                    multicultural  education  is  to  instil  the  values  of  pluralism,  humanism,  and  democracy  directly  by  the 
                    community from an early  age  at  school  (Baidhawy,  2005).  According  to  Suprapto  (2009),  multicultural 
                    education also aims to invite people to be able to accept differences that exist as a natural process. Thus, it 
                    will  be  easy  for  the  people  of  Indonesia  to  have  an  awareness  of  equality  towards  the  diversity  of 
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                                                                          RADICALISM THREATS IN INDONESIA 
                    nationalities,  ethnicities,  races,  languages,  and  culture  in  a  balanced  way  of  life.  Multicultural  Education 
                    Strategy as a Means of National Integration   
                    Indonesia is a country whose community consists of various ethnic groups, cultures, ethnicities, and religions 
                    so  that  it  can  be  called  a  multicultural  society.  Since  time  immemorial,  people  Because  it  is  needed  a 
                    breakthrough in citizenship education in Indonesia by promoting multicultural education. One of the goals of 
                    multicultural education is "the cultivation of a way of life that respects, is sincere and tolerant of the diversity 
                    of cultures that live amid a plural society" (Arifuddin, 2007: 1). Multicultural education is directed to build a 
                    caring  attitude  and  want  to  understand  or  give  recognition  (recognition)  to  other  different  parties.  The 
                    multicultural  education  paradigm  includes  subjects  regarding  injustice,  poverty,  oppression,  and 
                    underdevelopment of minority groups in various fields, be it social, economic, cultural, educational, and so on. 
                    Multicultural education includes themes related to "tolerance, ethnocultural and religious differences, the 
                    danger  of  discrimination,  conflict  resolution  and  mediation,  human  rights,  democratization,  plurality, 
                    universal humanity, and other relevant subjects" (Arifuddin, 2007; Tilaar, 2002: 15).  
                    MSI, as the strength of the nation, should get multicultural education because they have a strategic position 
                    that can directly affect the dynamics of community, nation and state life and are counterparts and partners 
                    for the government (Hikam, 1999a, 1999b, 2001). Abandonment of the MSI will open up opportunities for the 
                    forces  that  want  men  made  them  as  a  vehicle  and  even  a  source  of  conflict  once  the  target  horizontal 
                    infiltration and influence of foreign ideologies that are not by Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution Some key 
                    components of MSI that are especially necessary to get an education multicultural between others are non-
                    governmental organizations (NGOs), religious organizations, the indigenous peoples of the archipelago, the 
                    media, professional groups, intellectuals, farmer groups and workers, as well as entrepreneurs. 
                    They need to get a multicultural education because they are less informed about the diversity of Indonesia 
                    that is accustomed to getting from formal education. The cultivation of multicultural principles of non-formal 
                    education has been developed by several parties. These initiatives emerged based on the real conditions of 
                    the diverse Indonesian nation. Some MSI figures are now increasingly aware of the importance of national 
                    integration  which  has  long  taught  about  multiculturalism,  for  example,  developing  and  socializing  the 
                    principles of multiculturalism in the Salaf pesantren. This multicultural education will deliver and develop 
                    Indonesian people who have the spirit of nationalism and ultimately can maintain the integrity of the nation 
                    from the threat of disintegration. When realized by religious-patterned education, multicultural education is 
                    believed to be able to deliver students to moderate and inclusive understanding (Marzuki, Miftahuddin, and 
                    Murdiono, 2011).  
                    Civil  society-based  multicultural  education is  education that is designed, assessed, and developed by the 
                    community that leads to efforts to respond to existing challenges and opportunities (Furqaan and Fatonah, 
                    2012). In other words, multiculturalism education based on civil society will become a national awareness 
                    movement in the face of a changing environment. Efforts to adapt behaviour without being supported by 
                    sufficient cognitive abilities in understanding the concept of multiculturalism will not proceed as planned, 
                    both at the level of individuals and groups. According to Sihombing, the community is right to be the target of 
                    multicultural education subjects because every citizen has roles and responsibilities that directly or indirectly 
                    have a big influence on the order of Indonesian social life (Furqaan and Fatonah, 2012). 
                    Multiculturalism education must be based on the value of diversity as one of the pillars of the Indonesian 
                    state. Diversity is a mirror of the life of a pluralistic Indonesian society and is believed to be the nation's 
                    capital to continue to survive in a rapidly changing environment. Multicultural education based on diversity 
                    when applied in socio-cultural life will create an inner and outer attitude that recognizes differences that 
                    exist (Anggraini, 2014). Thus, every citizen should be the subject of multicultural education from an early age 
                    and its development must be considered by the government. 
                      
                    Barriers to the Implementation of Multicultural Education in the Community Environment 
                    It must be acknowledged that adat groups have not received proportional attention to be given multicultural 
                    education in the last few decades. This group is one of the main keys in controlling tribes in Indonesia that do 
                    not  yet  have  access  to  formal  education.  For  example  in  the  case  in  Timika,  Papua  was  two  groups  of 
                    residents of Kampung Liwung Mekar (formerly called Tuni Kama), Kwamki Lama took part in an attack with 
                    each other with arrows following the death of Lenius Kogoya (Kompas, 
                    November 20, 2010). The tribal war is very vulnerable to occur even among indigenous peoples who have 
                    quite a lot in common as a parent of the Melanesian race (Papua). Another case that can be used as an 
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                                                                          RADICALISM THREATS IN INDONESIA 
                    example of the urgency of multicultural education for MSI is the clash of two camps before the Blowfish trial 
                    in front of the South Jakarta District Court which caused casualties. Although the background of this conflict is 
                    an economic factor (the seizure of parking lots), the ethnic and regional backgrounds are very prominent, 
                    namely the fight between the Ambonese and Flores in Jakarta (Kompas, 29 September 2010). 
                    The two cases above are examples of conflict cases that have occurred for a long time and are still frequently 
                    encountered today in several regions of Indonesia, as stated by the Indonesian National Police. According to 
                    Kadiv. Police Headquarters Public Relations, Inspector General (Pol.) Ronnie F. Sompie, since 2010-2014 
                    there have been hundreds of communal conflicts whose numbers have tended to increase. Within a year in 
                    2010,  for  example,  51  conflicts  occurred,  while  in  2011  there  were  109  conflicts  and  increased  to  136 
                    conflicts in 2012, while in 2013 there were 164 conflicts (Tribunnews, 2015). Although in 2014 a decline in 
                    the number of conflicts (65 conflicts) but the matter does not indicate that Indonesia in the year 2015 off of a 
                    series of social conflicts. This is supported by the statement of General (Pol) Badrodin Haiti recently before 
                    the House of Representatives Commission III which said that in 2015 Indonesia is predicted to continue to 
                    face social conflicts due to economic factors (Sinar Harapan, 2015). 
                    The emergence of a series of conflicts will facilitate the entry of other major threats, such as the threat of 
                    radicalism which generally develops in conflict areas. Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), 
                    Saud Usman said that the development of radicalism in conflict areas was also influenced by other factors 
                    such as unemployment, possessions, and communal conflicts, including retaliation in the community (JPNN, 
                    2014). Until now, several conflict-prone areas which are predicted to grow a network of radical organizations, 
                    both old and new are Poso, Ambon, Aceh, and Papua (JPNN, 2014). The four regions are old areas that since 
                    the reform era until now are still prone to conflicts because the Government's handling is still not optimal. 
                    From the case, examples above it can be assumed the importance of understanding about shared life in 
                    diversity in civil society. Unfortunately, the government's efforts to develop the values of multiculturalism in 
                    MSI  have  not  been  carried  out  in  a  focused  and  integrated  manner.  This  is  because  sociologically  and 
                    politically,  MSI  is  not  under  one  department  that  handles  all  under  one  umbrella.  Religious  groups,  the 
                    responsibility is in the hands of the Ministry of Religion while indigenous groups are in the hands of the 
                    Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Whereas for other groups, for example, the urban poor, are under the 
                    responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs. Ideally, despite being under the responsibility of different 
                    Ministries, the inculcation of multicultural principles through special education programs for the MSI is very 
                    important  for  the  Government  to  do  immediately  so  that  integration  between  MSI  and  the  Indonesian 
                    government is increasingly formed and strengthened. When the understanding of multiculturalism is not 
                    immediately implanted in every Ministry, what will happen is a strategy that runs alone without achieving a 
                    goal. 
                    Conditions and Aspects of Strengthening National Precautions 
                    Current National Precautions 
                    Padnas  understanding  of  the  conditions  at  this  time  must  depart  from  the  conception  Archipelago 
                    (Wasantara) through insight to Astagatra (eight gatra) that is in it. Astagatra is composed of static gateways ( 
                    trigatra ), which include geography, demographics, and natural resource wealth (SKA) owned by Indonesia, 
                    and dynamic gatra-gatra (pancagatra) which includes ideology, politics, economy, socio-culture, and defense 
                    and  security  (Pandoyo,  1994).  With  a  comprehensive  understanding,  integral,  and  integrated  through 
                    Astagatra it will be known objectively padnas our current conditions, the following the problem issues - are 
                    facing and how to find a solution. 
                    Incorporating the concept of wasantra as an umbrella for national vigilance today is important because the 
                    government and citizens must understand their true identity as the Indonesian nation. Wasantra itself means 
                    the perspective of the Indonesian people about themselves and their homeland as an island nation with all 
                    aspects of life that are diverse (Usman in Duhita, 2012). When the state administrators and citizens still do 
                    not understand the concept of wasantra, it can be ascertained that the Indonesian nation is not ready to face 
                    all kinds of challenges in the future. This unpreparedness adversely affects the condition of national vigilance. 
                    National vigilance means the quality of preparedness, preparedness and the manifestation of the concern and 
                    sense of responsibility of the Indonesian people to be able to detect, anticipate early and prevent various 
                    forms of threats (Hikam, 2013). According to Lemhannas (2012), national vigilance is an attitude concerning 
                    nationalism that is built from a sense of caring and a sense of responsibility and concern of citizens towards 
                    the survival of society, nation and state. National vigilance can also be interpreted as a manifestation of the 
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                                                                          RADICALISM THREATS IN INDONESIA 
                    concern and sense of responsibility of the Indonesian people for the safety and position of the nation and 
                    state of Indonesia (Budigusdian, 2012). When the Indonesian people have a high sense of national vigilance 
                    Indonesia has prepared itself well for all forms of strategic environmental changes that create various threats, 
                    including the radicalism movement. 
                      The reform era that has lasted more than ten years still seems to be tinged with many problems and threats, 
                    especially from within the country itself. It is undeniable that Indonesia's life at this time is strongly coloured 
                    by  social-communal conflicts  which  ultimately  provide  more  free  space  for  radical  groups.  Even  though 
                    Indonesia's national life has progressed in various aspects of life, at the same time, there have been various 
                    kinds of vulnerabilities that threaten the national security conditions of the Indonesian nation (Wingarta, 
                    2012). This fact clearly shows the emergence of responses that state conditions seem safer than in previous 
                    eras and as such it is appropriate for the government to increase its national vigilance. 
                    At present, the country is experiencing a crisis of national vigilance which can be seen from the increasing 
                    number of social problems that have arisen and the growing number of radical groups that are developing. It 
                    seems that Indonesia has truly enjoyed the euphoria of reform to the point of forgetting its vigilance against 
                    threats  and  challenges  which  can  ultimately  weaken  its  national  resilience  (Wingarta,  2012).  Thus,  the 
                    current condition of Indonesia's national vigilance needs to be given priority from the government and all its 
                    citizens to strengthen their resilience in facing current and future threats. 
                    Strengthening National Awareness through Astagatra 
                    Astagatra aspects need to be considered by the government to strengthen national vigilance. On the trigatra 
                    aspect , a government that does not pay attention to all its wealth and potential can be assumed to also not 
                    pay  attention  to  its  level  of  vigilance.  Indonesia  has  a  strategic  position  with  an  archipelagic  state  ( 
                    archipelagic  state  )  consisting  of  17,500  large  and  small  islands  and  is  located  at  a  cross  between  two 
                    continents, Asia and Australia. Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in the world with the second-
                    longest coastline in the world after Canada. Indonesia's natural wealth makes it a country  that is rich in 
                    mineral resources, marine resources, flora and fauna, some of which have not yet been identified, especially 
                    marine biota.  Indonesia's  population  of  more  than  230  million  people  is  a  potential  strength  in  human 
                    resources and areas of the world economy, as well as a third largest democratic country in the world after 
                    India and the United States. 
                    This strategic geopolitical position requires national vigilance. Seen from the global geostrategic aspect, the 
                    Republic of Indonesia is a target for the struggle for influence, especially in the superpowers, which in the 
                    post-Cold War had to make various adjustments due to the loss of two superpowers and the absence of a new 
                    balance of power in the geopolitical and geostrategic constellations. global (Suradinata, 2005). Indonesia as 
                    one of the main forces in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific region, as well as leaders of the Islamic world, will 
                    always be present and play a role in any changes in the inter-nation arena. Meanwhile, the emergence of non- 
                    state forces in global politics must also be anticipated and managed properly because of the implications for 
                    national security. The phenomenon of asymmetric warfare ( asymmetric warfare ) in the form of terrorism is 
                    something that cannot be ignored as a reality in the strategic environment that arises from these non-state 
                    forces (Soesastro, 1993). 
                    Meanwhile, the government is also expected to continue to prioritize aspects of Pancagatra which include 
                    ideology,  politics,  economics,  socio-culture,  and  defence  and  security  (Pandoyo,  1994).  The  Republic  of 
                    Indonesia, which was proclaimed in 1945, has been fought by the Indonesian people since the colonial period 
                    in various forms of resistance to colonial rule. It was only at the beginning of the twentieth century that a new 
                    consciousness emerged in the form of nationality which crystallized from the experience of occupation and 
                    oppression and awareness of one region. This awareness formed the nationality of Indonesia on October 28, 
                    1928, and then found its momentum to become a dominating nation in 1945. The crystallization of historical 
                    experience, culture, and the will of the nation to dominate became the basis for the nation's founders to 
                    formulate an ideal foundation namely Pancasila and constitutional foundation in the form 1945 Constitution, 
                    especially the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution.               
                     Nationality  grow Vigilance Through Cooperation between the Government and Civil Society  
                      
                    Civil Society As A Subject 
                    Increasing  national  vigilance  is  an  important  prerequisite  for  strengthening  national  resilience  in  all 
                    countries, including the Republic of Indonesia.  
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                                                                          RADICALISM THREATS IN INDONESIA